German submarine U-72 (1940)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-72.

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-72
Ordered:	25 January 1939
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number:	619
Laid down:	28 December 1939
Launched:	22 November 1940
Commissioned:	4 January 1941
Fate:	Damaged by bombing, 30 March 1945; scuttled, 2 May 1945
General characteristics
Class & type:	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught:	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power:	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range:	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:	2 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (bow) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	21st U-boat Flotilla 4 January – 8 June 1941 24th U-boat Flotilla 9 June – 1 July 1941 21st U-boat Flotilla 2 July 1941 – 30 March 1945
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Hans-Werner Neumann 4 January – September 1941 Oblt.z.S. Helmut Köster September – 1 December 1941 Kptlt. Waldemar Mehl 2 December 1941 – 6 May 1942 Oblt.z.S. Hans-Martin Scheibe 7 May – 19 November 1942 Oblt.z.S. Helmut Lange 20 November 1942 – 14 December 1943 Oblt.z.S. Paul Sander 15 December 1943 – 19 May 1944 Oblt.z.S. Karl-Theodor Mayer 20 May 1944 – March 1945
Operations:	None
Victories:	None

German submarine U-72 was a Type VIIC submarine of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

U-72 was launched on 22 November 1940 and commissioned on 4 January 1941. U-72 served with 24th U-boat Flotilla (a training unit), and later with 21st U-boat Flotilla (also a training unit), from 2 July 1941 to 30 March 1945. U-72 was used throughout World War II as a training boat until it was damaged in a daylight American bombing raid on 30 March 1945. U-72 was scuttled on 2 May 1945.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-72 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-72 was fitted with two 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.